Deception of Two
by NightOfAThousandDreams
Summary: "Would you like to know a secret?" She blinked, taken aback.  "S-sure."  A ghost of a smile graced his pale features. "Ryuuzaki is much more alike to Misa than she knows." "How?" "We both like to lie." LxMisa -rating will later change to M-
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! And welcome to my first installment of a Death Note fanfic! I would just like to say thank you for taking the time to read this, and that your thoughts would be very much appreciated. This is an LxMisa fanfiction, and it will be divided into two or three chapters, depending on how long my next chapter will be. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

**Note: though this story is T for the time being, be aware that future chapters will include graphic scenes that will raise the rating to M. Thank you.**

**~Hana**

**...**

L Lawliet was a liar.

Of course he was; his profession practically demanded for deception, and he was quite a natural to it as well. He could give a false name without a second thought; he spouted out faux truths like a fountain, and never even blinked. His life was a complex, tangled web of lies and truth, full of simplistic patterns that smoldered and knotted together into bigger, more intricate designs. The world could be thankful that the great detective had not chosen a life of crime over a life of fighting it…because, L Lawliet was a liar, and he was good at it.

But he wasn't so good that he could hide things from himself.

He had been crouching in the same seat in front of his monitor for maybe four hours, his mind drifting aimlessly from one aspect of the case to another, ghosting the intricately complex corridors of fact and logic, and where those two led him. Ordinarily, he mused, the killer would have slipped up, or would have gotten too cocky and left some half-ridden clue that the detective could have used to bring the criminal to justice. But then again, this was no ordinary case; his wits and genius could only take him so far into this little game of cat and mouse, and as much as he hated to say it, he needed to let go of his perspective of "logic" and begin looking at things with an open mind…not only open to the natural, but also to the _super_natural.

His musings floated idly, his hands playing with the pyramid of sugar cubes that he had absentmindedly built. He chewed on his thumb in thought while he recalled the structure of the interior of an actual pyramid itself; full of traps and false leads, with one misstep leading to one's untimely demise. A cold shudder sinisterly ran down L's spine; this was very well the first case he had ever taken that had made the face of death so clear, and so close, and so very _real_. And somehow, he knew that there was a _very_ high chance that he would die. Of course, he had taken the situation calmly and carefully, and had been careful not to show any fear those around him- especially Light. But he was not as cold and unfeeling as he let on, oh no…he was _scared_. Not for the ending of life, for he reasoned that sooner or later, death would come and stake its claim on his life. Seventy years, or seventy days, it didn't matter. Death was death, and it would come.

No, he was afraid of being alone, of dying and no one missing him. He had once told Light that the brunette boy could very well be considered L's first real friend. It wasn't entirely true; L had people he considered friends. But then again, it wasn't entirely a lie—though L had friends, they were far from being close mates. The truth was that the dark haired insomniac spent considerably more time crouching in his strange manner in front of a screen, catching criminals and eating sweets alone, without any companionship with the exception of Watari, than he did going out and having any sort of social life. In fact, he was not sure if it would be accurate to say that he _had _a social life. No family, no real friends…if he died, his successors would make sure that L the detective lived a long, prosperous life…but L Lawliet the person would _not_ be missed; in fact, it would be a feat to think that anyone would have noticed his absence at all. L had become quite good at pushing these scenarios to the back of his mind, but the thought of death being so near made him feel so terribly alone and friendless.

The noise of a body shiftingsnapped the detective out of his thoughts. He glanced away from the laptop towards the bed that was right next to his work desk. Light was fast asleep, his brown hair hanging loosely in front of his closed eye, his lean body sprawled out rather elegantly across the king-sized bed. The thought of slumber crossed the detective's mind, prompting L to look over towards the flashing red numbers that had been nagging for his attention for the past few hours. It was nearly 5 AM. Everyone else had long ago either left the building to join their families, or had gone to their adjacent rooms and fell asleep ages ago. L, with his black, slightly eerie eyes framed with reminders of sleepless nights, had not had a drop of sleep for around three days, and he could easily find himself a fourth night full with thoughts and musings, but empty of any trace of slumber. Though, he _had_ found himself nodding off a bit for the past ten minutes, and that meant a 10% chance of his thoughts clouding and not being as accurate as he would have liked them to be.

He reluctantly placed his beloved sweets to the side, rising from his chair to the bed. His uncombed, unruly dark tresses were snug against the soft, white pillow; his pale body was covered by a thin, but warm blanket. Yet his wide, blank eyes stared up sleeplessly. His mind refused to stop its wandering, refused him any thought of slumbering through the night. He hated nights like these; those nights when his mind did not allow him to focus on his work, but did not let him sleep either. In times like these, he was forced to think about things he pushed to the back of his head so religiously; things that he did not want or need to be brought up. But he had let his mind delve far too much into the topic of his life for it to stop now. Now, he was faced with his deepest fears- the loneliness and the night.

He was so fucking scared. That was something he couldn't lie to himself about.

It began to rain.

...

Misa-Misa was a liar.

A twirl of yellow ringlets and lacy black bows danced happily in the dimming room, bubbly giggles and happy grins were given as light bulbs continued to flash. Happy, sugary-sweet, epiphany of seductive innocence…Misa Amane struck another cutesy pose as the photographer eagerly took photo after photo of the teen pop idol. Her brown eyes were absolutely sparkling, and a girlish wink gave her the photogenic distinction of being one of Japan's rising stars. There were even talks of her taking on more movie roles…she was rather good at acting, her fans agreed.

Secretly, Misa agreed as well.

Her face seemed so flawless and cheerful, like there was not a care in the world for the teenish star, but there was something dark growing in her heart…fueled by the desire to be loved by the one she loved most- Kira. He had become her hero, her knight in shining armour; he had done that which police and government enforcement officers could not do- give her parents justice. A year ago, she wouldn't have _dreamed _that she had a bone in her body to kill; but the loss of the only two people who truly loved her was too much to bear. Pain, she found, could rewrite people in ways they would not dare think of. And when she saw a chance to repay a debt she felt she owed to Kira, she took it. Hopefully, her prince charming would love her back, and she could have her happily ever after.

She walked out of the modeling studio, deciding that walking alone and unnoticed would be the fasted way for her to go back to headquarters and sneak a visit for Light. Mogi, her "manager", had lost her, it seemed, so she felt positive she would be able to access the building and find her beloved. A happy smile was smeared across her face as she skipped towards her destination. She heard the sound of beating wings behind her, followed by a familiar casual voice.

"Hey Misa, got any apples?"

The blonde turned around to see the hideous, yet seemingly harmless shinigami. She bit her lip as she fished through her purse for a spare fruit. "Um…no…." Misa responded with a pout while she pulled her grasp out of her handbag, fondling a yellow banana instead. "Uh, do you eat bananas?" she asked.

Ryuk was immediately curious, taking a long look at the strange fruit. He sniffed it precariously before taking a large bite. His eyes widened –if they could go any wider- and he immediately spat the portion from his mouth. Misa scrunched her nose in disgust.

"Eww, Ryuk, that's nasty!" the model whined, immediately stepping away from the unidentifiable mass of pale yellow gunk. The apple loving death god let out a strange cackle. "I think I should be saying that, princess," he stated, carelessly tossing the unfinished banana over his shoulder. "That was just nasty." He towered over the pig-tailed girl with a toothy grin. "Wanna play Mario Karts? It's been a while since I've played, and Light barely plays with me."

"I don't play video games" Misa replied absentmindedly. What was Light doing at that moment, she wondered. They had not seen each other for over two weeks, and he had yet to answer any of her calls or even call her back. Not so much as a text message. She pretended to brush it off, that it was not that big of a deal, and that he just conveniently forgot. After all that Light look-a-like was definitely not him, because he was with a dark haired girl, holding hands…and Light would never do something like cheat on Misa, right? Because deep down, Light loved Misa, she just _knew_ it. He just had a very funny way of showing it.

Because he definitely wasn't just dating her because she had the shinigami eyes, and he was overreacting when he said he would kill her…he wouldn't really kill her right? Not just because Rem threatened his life, but because she was special to him…right?

The grotesque entity hovering next to her let out a mischievous chuckle, almost as if he were mocking her hopes and musings of a loving, deep relationship with the Death Note killer. And deep in her heart, she knew he was. But it did not matter –Misa had acquired the Eyes once more, at the cost of her lifespan being quartered. She did it for Light, her Light…and she would find L and find out his real name, and prove to her love that she was worth it, and that he could really love her, if he tried. Not that he didn't _already_ love her…but she supposed that it would be nice to be treated like his queen once in a while, just like he said he would. All she needed to do was kill L.

L. He was such a pervert, first installing cameras all over her living space, and then treating her like a suspect (though, she concluded, he had good reason too). He was so _creepy_, with his hollow, sleep-deprived dark eyes, his messy, uncombed black hair that had been undoubtedly unwashed for months, and his little annoying quirks and habits, like eating candy day and night and not gaining a pound, or that strange way he would sit. He was frustrating, cold, calculating, and arrogant. So _very_ arrogant. He could never be wrong, only right, and if things did not work out for him as he planned, he somehow twisted every other piece in the circumstance to fit his ideals. When he spoke, he had an aura of self-assertiveness, one that was almost inhuman; unearthly…he was such a _creep_.

But…during those days in which she had no recollections of her past with the Death Note, he had proven to become a kind, if not downright strange friend. When she talked to him, his eyes never left the screen before him, but he always seemed to be paying close attention to everything that came out of her mouth. He would respond when necessary, but not with short, curt answers. They could be brutally honest, to the point in which Misa would not want to talk to the man anymore, but it was better than talking to Light and not having a single word given to her in response. Or, if a response was given, it would me a muttering mess of "uh-huhs" and "go away Misa"s, and "I'm busy"s. Now that she thought about it clearly, L usually gave her more time of day than her own _boyfriend_.

No. She could not let herself think that way. She needed to find out L's true name, and kill him, for the sake of Light, of Kira, of the new utopia that was to come. Because once that was done, she would be happy, and loved, and adored, for just who she was. Because Light only wanted the best for her. Right? The darkness continued to gnaw at her bones, urging her to reach into the deepest parts of her subconscious and reveal to herself the ugly truth.

Because Misa Amane was a fantastic actor. A fantastic liar. But there were some things that no amount of pushing and burying could deceive her into forgetting.

It began to rain.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! So...remember when I said this would be a two-shot? Well...apparently I lied ^^; This has gotten far more in depth than I planned...so it will most likely become a longer fic. Anyways, I hope you enjoy :)**

**-Hana**

He was not sure how many hours had passed as he stared up into the blank ceiling, his mind detracting little images from the nothingness above. The day had come and gone; yet, he had remained in his bed, unable to move from his slouched position. The laptop sat open and bright, with L staring at the screen, as if in deep thought. Though, he had been "reading" the same line since he had opened the monitor, and his mind had refused to let him get past his initial fears, no matter how hard he tried.

And then, the night came, spreading its dark blankets over the skies, and the rain became stronger, more fierce and taunting. It took him a little more than a minute to realize that he was out of his bedroom and climbing up a fleet of stairs towards the roof. His legs seemed to be moving on their own accord; his body was out of his control, only fixed on reaching its bent destination. Each step made his eyes become a little more hollow, a little more blank. He didn't know what to do anymore. He had gotten so accustomed to detaching himself from his emotions and from the rest of the world, but he supposed that it had been easier when there was no one to actually get attached _to_. Now, he was being bombarded by a sudden attack of long suppressed feelings; there was nowhere to hide anymore. He had to admit to himself right then and there. He was human. And tonight, he would most likely die.

Drops of water caressed his thin frame fragilely, as afraid that if they held on too hard, the pale insomniac would break. Thin, soft splashes were vaguely heard as bare feet sloshed through the various puddles. L could already feel his white cotton sweater stick to his skin, making him slightly uncomfortable. But the minor physical discomforts were set aside as the detective gazed at the dark, almost black horizon, the rain drops stinging his face with vigor force. His eyes wavered for a moment, glancing to the side, for just a moment, for just a _second_…

And that is when he deduced that he may have gone completely insane.

Naomi.

He could see Naomi.

At least, vaguely. She was standing still in the rain, though she did not seem the least wet. Her careful, yet soft falcon eyes seemed to be gazing at him sullenly, almost remorsefully. L could only take a few steps back to keep his balance from giving way. Naomi. Naomi Misora. Probably one of the best FBI agents he ever worked with, if not the best agent internationally. She was quite the intelligent one, but she never let her pride get the best of her; her quiet yet determined attitude was what separated her from the rest. Naomi Misora was the one person he had considered revealing his true identity to. The only person he had considered somewhat of a good friend, besides Light.

The only person he had ever fallen in love with.

Of course, L had no idea what to do with the latter feeling; he knew how human relationships functioned, but somehow his will to be detached from anything and everything left him with watching her fall in love with another man, get engaged, and start towards what was supposed to be the happiest time of her life. L had only shrugged at the time, moved on with his work, putting aside any and all feelings for the Japanese federal agent. At the time, he had made sure he thought nothing of it. But now, staring at what he was sure a damned hallucination, he could only reach out at the phantom and feel his cheeks burn; why, he did not know. He felt a sudden impulsion to do something, what he did not know. Had he been a more emotional person, a bit more _human_, as some would say, he would have tried to establish some sort of physical contact with the illusion. But L only crouched. His eyes remained blank and cold and fixated. He seemed like nothing was happening.

He could only be glad that the rain washed away the single tear that had managed to slip away from his eyes.

Misa lounged in the small room, a happy smiled plastered on her pretty painted face. Across the table sat Light, looking somewhat bored, but with a certain gleam in his eye, which made the pop star wonder if there was some sort of new plan that was now formulating through her Kira's devious mind. Behind the young man a grotesque, yet strangely attractive creature lurked in the air, her one yellow eye giving off the impression of much wisdom and eons of living a life. Rem was usually rather stoic, but today, Misa could not help but notice the hate and malice that seemed to be practically pouring from the female shinigami. The second Kira knew that the entity was by no means fond of Light, but this was different. It wasn't just dislike…it had the feeling of pure, raw _hate_.

But why? Light wasn't all that bad…he was just misunderstood. She knew it was true; because that would mean that he loved her and didn't know how to show it to her properly. They were connected by the red string of fate; they were _destined_ for each other. There was no doubt about that in Misa's mind. And Light felt the same way. Once his plan was complete, everything would be like a fairytale, and she would spend her days with her savior. Her savior…

Savior from _what_ exactly? Her eyes widened in astonishment as the question randomly dashed through her mind. From the world, of course, she answered back. From the criminals and the evils that took away her mother and father, and that had left her alone, minus a sister who lived far away.

"-sa? Misa, are you okay?"

Misa was suddenly torn away from her thoughts and settled back into reality. She looked at Light, hopefully expecting a concerned look on his face, but was somewhat disappointed when the only expression she received was one of annoyance. Brushing this aside, she painted another smile. "Yes, yes Misa is fine. Misa just wants to know why Light is happy today."

A smirk curled across the boy's face. Only two words escaped his perfect lips as his eyes glowed with malice and conquest: "I win."

And in that moment, Misa realized that L's name had been found out, and that they were one gigantic step closer to achieving their utopia. The model's heart flared up in hope as she dreamt of her perfect world with Light; one where he adored her and protected her from everything, just like knight saving the damsel in distress. It was so close now… Misa gave a joyful grin as she flung herself into Light's arms, practically bubbling with newfound hope and happiness. "Misa-Misa is happy, Light!" she giggled as she nuzzled her nose against his cheek. She raised her pink lips closer towards her love's ear. "Now…shall we celebrate?" she whispered hotly, delicately slender hands ghosting a search across the boy's body.

Light only scoffed, pushing her off carelessly, causing her to land rather roughly on her bum. "Misa, this isn't the time or place to think about something like that. We need to stick to the plan, remember?"

Misa pouted. "But, Misa is in love with Light. She only wants to show light how much he means to her."

Kira only rolled his eyes as he rose to leave the room. "Misa, if you want to show me how much you love me, just do as you are told," he responded coldly. Promptly, he walked out the door, closing it without a second glance towards to the girl he had left on the ground. Misa felt her fists tighten and loosen repeatedly as tears began to well up in her eyes. He…just…needed…time. He…just…needed…love. He….he…l-loved…..her….

Rem only took a glance at the heartbroken girl with a sudden pang in her cold heart, not knowing what she was feeling, for these human emotions were usually useless to her. But she knew one thing very, _very_ clearly: Humans were disgusting creatures. Men like Higuchi and Light Yagami proved this to her again and again and again. But humans could also be extremely, pitifully, _stupidly_ docile creatures. So easily blinded by love that they did not know what was right in front of them; like a broken glass window distorting the object on the other side.

And begrudgingly, the cold shinigami had to admit that humans were changing her, even if it was just a tiny bit, in that particular area.

Misa wandered aimlessly through the never-ending hallways, trying to think of anything except for the obvious. She didn't want to think about how cold Light's eyes seemed to be as they bore straight through her heart, nor did she want to feel weak and pathetic. Besides, those actions were only minor setbacks; deep down, Light _had_ to care for her. He just _had _to. Because if he didn't that meant that she had ended lives- for nothing. That she had sacrificed her ability to enter Heaven or Hell- for nothing. Just for a boy who was willing to kill a few to do good for many. Misa's eyes widened as she realized what thoughts were wandering through her mind. She clutched at her yellow strands, burying her fingers in the various knots and curls, trying to push the damned thinking out of her head. _NONONONONONONONONONONONONONO!_

She ran in twisted directions, not sure where she was going, nor even caring that she only seemed to be climbing a seemingly endless flight of stairs. Outside, she could hear the rain pour down with mad insistence, as if giving out due warning to those who listened. Misa nagged and nagged and nagged her stupid, _false_ thoughts; Light loved her, he had to love her, she was supposed to be with him forever and ever. She didn't want to think about if she was right or wrong, because it was crystal clear to her own mind that she was right. She _had_ to be right.

She reached the end of the staircase, looking around but seeing only one door, which led to the outside. Preparing to go down, the pop idol suddenly noticed that the door was slightly ajar- as if someone had gone through it and had not closed it properly. Deathly curious, Misa pitter-pattered across the hallway, softly turning the door knob and poking her head outside. It was so very dark, and so very cold; Misa was tempted to go back into the warm, comforting airs of the building, but immediately stopped.

There was a figure in the middle of the storm, looking straight up with blank, yet emotional eyes. Their thin body was completely soaked; white shirt and baggy jeans pressed against skin; hair limply hanging across a pale, expressionless face. Misa could not help but blush at the sight…it seemed so…_ethereal_. So languid and beautiful; yet, so very, _very_ sad. The water-cascaded figure turned towards her, eyes so weary and tired…so resigned. The pop star could only stare in shock as she recognized the solemn face. _L._ She took a step back in shock, her mind blowing in confusion, rage, and sadness. How…how _could_ she have even _thought_ that L, her love's one and only hurdle in the way of righteousness, was _beautiful?_ It did not make any sense- any sense at all. She, not a day before, was trying to find a way to _end _this man…but now, she could only gaze at the figure in the rain…because…even if she vehemently denied it to herself, there were some things she could never deceive herself into believing.

In that weary, tired man, she saw herself.

It was a day like this, she remembered, when her life became a hell on earth. What was so ironic was that thirty minutes before seven o'clock, she was on cloud nine, happiest girl on earth. Thirty minutes after seven, she found herself in the deepest circle of despair. It was raining, when her parents died. It was almost as if the heavens were crying, she recalled. Memories enveloped her in a tight cocoon, and she remembered. Happy faces filled her mind as the last dinner she ever shared with her mother and father played like a home movie. _Misa, eat your leeks,_ her mother had told her. _Misa-Misa is such pretty girl, I can't wait to see my grandchildren someday, _her father had cooed. And then the breaking of glass and the scrambling, and the screaming, and the sickening sounds of metal slicing flesh. Dead eyes staring back at her, as she cradled her parents to her chest. The feeling of being alone…of being robbed of everything she had.

She remembered staring blankly at the sky as police tape and sirens crowded her home; she remembered dully answering questions, as if she did not inhabit her body any longer, for she was only a faint ghost of herself. She couldn't cry, she couldn't scream, she couldn't yell…all she could do was stand in the rain. And watch the world die.

And now, as she stepped into the rain, trying to sort out her feelings out of the jumbled mess in her mind, Misa could only see herself in her enemy…were they enemies? While her memories were gone, the blonde remembered telling Ryuuzaki that they were friends, and she remembered that funny, yet cute expression on his face when she told him _she_ wanted _him_ to be her friend. It was as if he did not know the feeling of having someone to trust, or even having any sort of companionship, with the exception of Watari. A cold, clawed hand seemed to grasp her heart, squeezing it without mercy. Why did she feel…so…_guilty?_ It was only a ruse so that she could get closer to him…but looking at him now, she could only think that if she betrayed him now, she would be no better than the man who unjustly took away that which was her own.

She stepped out into the soaking, stinging weather, being careful not to slip in any puddles while walking in her designer heels. She approached him. He did not seem surprised, nor did he seem in the least agitated by her presence. Dull, dark eyes gave her a single glance, and then went back to staring over the city. Misa felt strangely…intrusive. She did not know why, nor could she comprehend why she was feeling so undeniably guilty. She hesitated, and then stepped closer to the man.

"Ryuuzaki?" Her voice was strangely timid.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, and looked back at the sky. "Hello Misa Amane."

The wind seemed to get colder and more malicious. Misa shivered violently. L, on the other hand, did not even flinch. She looked at him once more.

"Wh-what are you doing out here?" she asked, yet somehow she felt a nauseous dread on receiving a response. The dark-haired man turned to her, though his gaze never left the overcast city.

L did not know how he wished to respond. His mind was in an emotional tangle, a sloppy mess that he could not get out of. Fear of death, fear of solitude, fear of becoming nothing more than dust in the wind…these truths clouded his mind, took over him, taunted him as he tried to find some way of retaining some semblance of peace inside himself. He looked at the blonde girl in front of him. Somehow, today she seemed different. As if, she was in the process of being revealed an ugly, _hideous_ truth that she did not wish to know about…somewhat like him. Finally he took a deep breath.

"Would you like to hear a secret?"

Misa blinked, her mind somewhat stalled at the seemingly random statement. "Uh, sure…what is it?"

A small childish smirk ghosted over "Ryuuzaki's" pale face. "Promise not to tell it? I will be very sad if you do."

"I…promise…"

L smiled slightly as he observed the woman in front of him. So unlike Naomi…yet somewhat similar. "I'm a lot more like you than you care to imagine."

Misa could not help but raise an eyebrow at the statement, a weak giggle escaping her lips. They were not alike in _any way_…in fact, she felt as if it would be safe to say that they were complete opposites at the very least. Though, she was interested in hearing his reasoning. "Oh? How are Ryuuzaki and Misa-Misa the same?"

The insomniac shook his head in disagreement. "No, if I remember correctly, I said 'like you', which is very different from 'the same as you'. But yes, I am more like Misa than she knows."

"How?"

There was a rather long pause, the sound of rain cascading onto the earth the only factor that kept the night from total silence. Finally, he spoke once more, though rather quietly. "Ryuuzaki also saw his parents murdered in front of him."

The young girl suddenly felt a shock course through her body as her mind slowly tried to adjust the various questions that began to flood her mind almost instantaneously. How did he know about that? Was he lying? If so _why?_ But if not…why was he bringing it up now? He did not seem like the type of person who talked about their personal lives. But his eyes were hollow, almost deathly blank. As much as she did not want to hear it, she knew he was telling her the truth.

The rain grew stronger.


	3. Author's Note PLEASE READ

Sorry to give you readers false hope for a new chapter...but I wanted to make an important announcement concerning this story, since many of you may have started to think that I have abandoned this fic.

**I am, in _no way, _going to let this story go unfinished. I WILL update, and I WILL finish it.**

**HOWEVER.**

Please keep in mind that I am currently in high school, with wavering grades and a very strong urge to get A's in my classes. After the month of April, I will be less occupied and therefore have more time to work on this fiction. **Please do not expect regular updates until then.**

The third chapter is almost completed though, and it should be up in two or three days. Just please, note that I have a life (though a sucky one) and I need to manage my time wisely.

After all of this is good and done, you can expect me to be updating this story **_every Saturday night._**

Please, thank you for having faith in me, and hopefully you understand my circumstances.

With much love,

Hana.

PS: There is a story that is getting FAR too little attention, that I believe deserves some readers. It is an OC fic, but unlike many of OC/self insert stories I have read, this one is very well written and quite entertaining. It is only up to its second chapter, but this author has a lot of potential as a writer, and I believe that we fellow writers should cheer her on, OC fic or not.

The story is **_Telltale_**, by comehitherjustice.

Please support her, I love seeing flowers bloom :)


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